Recalling the events of Newry Civic Week

In the collection at Newry and Mourne Museum are several programmes and photographs from Newry Civic Weeks that took place in the 1960s. Almost four decades previously, in 1928, a similar type of festival, Newry Shopping Week was organised by the Newry Chamber of Commerce, with a view to reviving local industry. Revived by Newry Rotary Club in 1966, Newry Civic Week was held to encourage local trade and to bring visitors to shop in Newry.

The programmes in the collection give a fascinating insight to the broad events and activities that took place during the festivals. The first revived Civic Week was held in 1966 from the 27th May to the 5th June. In the programme J.A Fitzsimmons, Chairman of the Civic Week Committee described its aim as “to stimulate a greater sense of civic pride and civic responsibility among its people, particularly among its young people – the citizens of tomorrow”.

Each programme lists a broad range of events, from beauty pageants, children’s parades, organised walks, exhibitions and a wide range of sporting events. These events were organised and hosted by various different clubs, schools and community groups in the town.

The first event held each year was a parade of local school children. They would gather at Abbey Yard and then parade to Edward Street car park for an address by the Minister of Education to officially launch Civic Week. 

In 1968, the festival was officially launched by the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, Terence O’Neill. He toured Newry and visited Newry Technical School then attended a lunch at the Ardmore Hotel. One of the highlights of the festival was the Miss Newry competition, with the winning contestant selected at a final dance at the Ardmore Hotel. Traders from Newry would provide the winner with a full range of clothes and cosmetics and there was even an official hair stylist, Kays of Margaret Square.

Many sporting competitions were held at the festivals, these included cycling time trials, basketball tournaments, darts, golf, fishing and athletics competitions. Interestingly a ladies soccer match was held at the Show Grounds during Civic Week in 1967.

Throughout the week various premises in Newry decorated their shopfronts and held exhibitions, including art and photography, home industries, schools, public lettering and sculpture. A caravan exhibition was held in Marcus Square and a tie-in with the Ulster Museum was exhibited in the Town Hall. Lectures were also held throughout the festival, in 1968 Newry Credit union hosted a lecture on the benefits of saving at the Boulevard Hotel.

Some of the events were supported by businesses, groups and organisations. In 1967 milk was supplied for the walkers at the Flagstaff Walk event by the N.I. Milk Marketing Board. In 1966 Newry Road Safety Committee and Newry Motor Club hosted the Safe Driving Rally. The wide range of events held was evident by some of the more unusual events that took place. The Newry Unit of the Northern Ireland Fire Service hosted a Fire Fighting Display which involved a man being rescued from burning building. The Daisy Hill and General Hospital Units of the Northern Ireland Hospital Service Reserve presented Exercise Squirrel, a simulation dealing with casualties of a nuclear attack, setting up a Forward Medical Aid Unit on the hockey field of Newry High School. The event a reminder of the impact of the Cold War and the fear of a nuclear attack at that time.

The programmes also feature advertising for local businesses which no longer exist, but which many will remember, such as the Florentine Café, the Boulevard Hotel and Central Laundry.

Although it only ran for a few years, Newry Civic Week was a highly successful festival which left many great memories for the people of Newry.

The Museum is currently offering free tours of the main exhibition galleries on Wednesdays at 2.00 pm. These must be booked in advance by calling our Education Officer at 0330 137 4422. 

Newry and Mourne Museum is open Tuesday – Saturday 10.00 am – 4.30 pm. Please call 0330 137 4422 or email museums@nmandd.org for further information.

Visit their website at www.visitmournemountains.co.uk